In Framingham, a member of Little Rock Nine recalls year of fear, learning

Monday

Apr 28, 2014 at 5:49 PMApr 28, 2014 at 8:38 PM

By Scott O'ConnellDaily News Staff

FRAMINGHAM – After describing matter-of-factly how he won, by way of strangulation, his one fight against one of his many white antagonists at Little Rock Central High, Terrence Roberts had to correct the cathartic applause that erupted in Walsh Middle School’s auditorium Monday afternoon."That is not a highlight," he said. "I don’t feel good about it – I felt against the wall."Roberts, a member of the Little Rock Nine who, against extreme opposition, ushered in desegregation at the infamous Arkansas high school in 1957, was forced into the confrontation by his gym teacher, and would much rather have run away. But in stark frankness, Roberts described how the threat of violence was inescapable during his one year at the high school."I wanted to run screaming out of that place every day," he said.The reason he didn’t is why middle school students in Framingham are reading about him in their history classes today. As Roberts put it, he endured the constant abuse in part for the "thousands of people before me who had given their lives for the same quest," to obtain an education.Roberts’ visit to Walsh came just as seventh graders at all three of the town’s middle schools had delved into a book documenting the Little Rock Nine’s experiences written by Melba Beals. The exercise is part of a new unit on civil rights the grade is taking this year."Now they’ve heard from someone who is in the book, which is pretty cool," said Cameron Middle School Principal Michelle Melick, who added the middle schools "couldn’t pass up the opportunity" to host Roberts, whose appearance was arranged by district K-8 humanities coordinator Susan Gravel.After a brief talk to start the event on Monday, Roberts jovially conducted a lengthy question-and-answer session with the students that touched on nearly every aspect of his experience at Little Rock, from his favorite subject – math – to one student’s question about whether he ever wished during his ordeal that he could have changed the color of his skin."I am too much in love with Terry Roberts to ever think about changing one iota about who I am," he responded, to raucous applause.Roberts, now a visiting lecturer and CEO of a management consulting firm, also elicited frequent laughter from the crowd with his enforcement of his policy that students’ questions not be peppered with "likes" and "ums."But the conversation most often turned to the subject of the vicious racism Roberts suffered at Little Rock, which even today he admits he doesn’t completely understand."They didn’t like me," he said in response to a student’s question about why white students at the high school wanted to kill him. "I have no idea why."Answering another question, Roberts said his one wish should he be able to travel back in time is to ask his tormenters what they got out of making his life so miserable.But despite all the fear he was subjected to, all the attacks – he pointed out several times that "bullying" doesn’t exactly capture what he and the other Little Rock Nine students endured – Roberts said he doesn’t regret his experience at the high school."It was a powerful learning experience for me," he said.Scott O’Connell can be reached at 508-626-4449 or soconnell@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottOConnellMW